Chapter 5 – Initial contacts

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the interaction with participants at three points of contact as follows: during recruiting, when they arrive, and during the pretest briefing. It discusses the critical time before the test starts, when one has the chance to make a great first impression, establish rapport with participants, and put them at ease. Steps of recruiting include choosing a contact method, explaining what the test is about, screening candidates for eligibility, and confirming their appointments. There are a number of ways to recruit participants for a usability test; the best method depends on the nature of the test and the types of people one is looking for. Many practitioners hire third-party recruiting agencies and pay them (per hour or per person) to locate, screen, and schedule test participants. Other practitioners do their own recruiting, building up a database of potential participants over time. Regardless of who does the recruiting, one needs to decide how to reach out to the target population. The most common methods are advertising via the Internet, phone, email, or a combination of these.